THE owners of a struggling hotel in Clevedon have applied to convert the cliff-top building into luxury apartments.

The Highcliffe Hotel in Wellington Terrace is in need of major investment to remodel both the interior and exterior to bring it up to modern requirements and standards.

However, this would not be financially viable at a time when there has been a large growth in budget chain hotels opening in North Somerset.

As a result, the owners, Helen and David Daniels, have come up with a scheme to revive the hotel after attempts to sell it between February 2010 and February 2011 raised no offers.

The buildings are currently used to house 22 hotel rooms, two individual flats, a function room, two meeting rooms, a restaurant and a bar. It is intended to return them to their former residential use.

If approved by North Somerset Council, the proposals would see a modern, zinc-clad full-height extension created between the hotel’s two existing Victorian villas, which is intended to contrast with the old, limestone buildings.

This will allow for 14 two-bedroom apartments to be created with large dining and living spaces. For those apartments which will not have garden access, generous balconies are to be created.

There will be 15 car parking spaces provided, one of which will be a visitor space, along with 14 cycle storage spaces.

The hotel will remain open while the long-term project and plans are developed.

Mr Daniels said: “We just want to restore the villas to how they were before.

“It will be more in keeping with the area to have it as residential use again.

“A lot of thought has gone into it and I think it has been generally well-received.”